This invention relates to a camera-combined magnetic recording-reproducing system of which a magnetic recording-reproducing unit and a camera unit are used either in combination or independently, specifically to the structure of connection parts for connecting the magnetic recording-reproducing unit and the camera unit.
Heretofore, a video camera for taking a subject and a magnetic recording system or a magnetic recording-reproducing system have normally been used separately and independently. When the magnetic recording or recording-reproducing system and the camera are used to be in combination, they are electrically connected with a cable and the like.
There has recently become available a system which integrally combines a video camera unit and a magnetic recording-reproducing unit. Since these units are combined in a compact system, it is conveniently used for recording a video for a magnetic recording-reproducing system such as a video tape recorder.
However, the above integral system is defective in that the video camera cannot be connected to a system other than the magnetic recording-reproducing system, such as a recording-only system or a television.
Therefore, there has been proposed a camera-combined magnetic recording-reproducing system of which the camera unit and the magnetic recording-reproducing unit can be used either in combination or separately as needed.
The camera-combined magnetic recording-reproducing system requires connection parts on both the camera unit and the magnetic recording-reproducing unit. The connection parts include a connector for electrical connection and a positioning mechanism and a locking mechanism for mechanical connection. In this case, connecting the connector and locking must normally be made separately. There should be projections or recesses for the connector on the camera unit and the magnetic recording-reproducing unit. The projecting connector is obstructive when the camera unit and the magnetic recording-reproducing unit are separately used, and requires an enclosure or a guard for protecting the connector.